Dozens killed in fire at overcrowded Burundi prison

Inmate says police refused to open doors amid blaze that left 38 dead and 69 seriously hurt

A massive fire ripped through an overcrowded prison in Burundi before dawn on Tuesday, killing dozens of inmates and seriously injuring many more, the country's vice-president said.

Many inmates were still sleeping at the time of the blaze that destroyed several parts of the facility in Burundi's political capital, Gitega, witnesses said.